Montjuïc Castle, built on a site giving an all-round command of the town, its harbour and approaches with the objective of subjecting the people of Barcelona to Spanish rule, was first built in 1640. 50 years later —between 1705 and 1714— it became a key site in the War of the Spanish Succession. Montjuïc Castle gained its current appearance in the middle of the 18th century.

Barcelona's castle on Montjuic is not the city's most exciting attraction, and chances are you've visited the likes of Charles Castle in Prague or the Wawel in Krakow you're unlikely to be overwhelmed. Built in 1640 the fortress is most famous for being the place of execution of Catalan president Lluis Companys under Franco's rule, which is perhaps why locals are rather unamoured by this particular piece of their heritage. Despite the fact there is little to explore inside Montjuic Castle itself (other than the Military Museum), it's worth the trip for the spectacular views from the 170m high cliff on which is perched. From this vantage point you can admire Barcelona's port sprawled out in all its industrial glory, a side of the city you're unlikely to see at ground level. You can inject a little extra fun into your visit by taking the Montjuic cable car up the mountain. Entrance to the castle is free, open Tuesday-Sunday 10am to 7pm.

Montjuïc Castle offers stunning views over the city and its harbour and is worth the trip. From this castle, the regent General Espartero indiscriminately bombarded the city with 1014 mortar bombs when the city revolted against his dictatorial rule. Espartero is notorious for his declaration, "Barcelona should be bombed once every fifty years". The following year, after defeating Espartero in an uprising, the Catalan General Prim launched over 2500 bombs on the city and its people when – dissatisfied with Prim's backsliding and lack of support for Catalonia– the city rose up against him. Prim overcame the revolt but was eventually killed by his opponents.

The first fortification on Montjuïc Mountain was built in 1640, during the revolt against Felipe IV. It consisted of a quadrilateral structure covered in stone and mud. It first saw action on 26 January 1641, when an attack by the Castilian troops of Pedro Fajardo de Requesens-Zúñiga y Pimentel, the Marquess of Vélez, was repelled in the Battle of Montjuïc.

In 1694 the fort became a castle and the grounds took up most of the summit, with three bastions looking inland and a line of saw-tooth ramparts looking over the sea.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the fall of the castle to the hands of Charles Mordaunt, Lord Peterborough, on 17 September 1705, was one of the factors that tipped the Catalans to the cause of Archduke Charles of Austria. Felipe V took it back on 25 April 1706, but lost it again on 12 May of the same year, and it was not again his till 12 September 1714, when, according to the fifth article of the capitulations — which the Duke of Berwick offered the city on the same day—, it surrendered to Bourbon troops.

In 1751, the military engineer Juan Martín Cermeño demolished the old fort of 1640, which still stood inside the new walls, and gave the complex of fortifications their present shape, providing them with services and cisterns (one of which being potable water), and also excavated a moat. Further construction work was done between 1779 and 1799, to accommodate the doubling of the castle’s population, including kitchens and ovens to feed 3,000, by which time the castle had taken on its final appearance. It was also when it was equipped with artillery, with 120 cannons.

On 13 February 1808, French troops entered Barcelona with 5,427 men and 1,830 horses. At first they were only supposed to remain in the city a few days but, on 29 February, a corps of Napoleon’s imperial troops, commanded by Colonel Floresti, climbed Montjuïc Mountain to capture the castle. This they achieved, but only by annoying the soldiers there because the Captain General of the Principality had received the direct orders of the Court itself to receive Napoleon’s troops with benevolence.

In 1897 large numbers of innocent workers were detained, accused of treason, tortured and murdered by the Spanish occupying forces. In 1909, several people were arbitrarily tortured and shot for supposedly having taken part in a revolt.

During the Spanish Civil War, rival republican and revolutionary factions murdered each other here as well as people suspected of being supporters of the Fascist rebels. Most people were rebel or loyalist according to where they happened to be at the outbreak of the Civil War. If you happened to be in Barcelona, you were loyalist, whatever your personal politics. If you were in a place where the army supported Franco, you were a rebel, like it or not.

On display in Montjuic's Military Museum are an impressive array of weapons and military relics and artifacts from around the world. In the castle you can visit also the Museum of Comics and Illustration. This museum is dedicated to Spanish comics and popular comic characters such as Zipi y Zape, Mortadello and Filemon and Pulgarcito.

You can reach the castle by the newly refurbished cable-car. Take the Green metro to Paral.lel station, then – using the same ticket – the Montjuïc funicular railway. There’s one every 10 minutes and the journey itself is very short. Take the nearby cable car to the top of the hill, right by the castle. The ride gives spectacular views in climate controlled comfort for 6.30 euro. You can reach the cable - car by the 50, 55, 61 or 193 buses, too. If you feel energetic, you can stroll to the top in about 20 minutes from the funicular stop.

A pleasant way of reaching the castle is via the funicular railway of Montjuic (part of the metro) or the Port Vell aerial tramway from Port Vell. At its highest point Montjuic Castle is some 170 metres above Barcelona, providing spectacular views of the sea and city. You can get there via direct flight to Barcelona or to Girona, Reus or Lleida – Alguaire.